The invention relates to an arrangement of a steering wheel in a motor vehicle suitable for autonomous driving, wherein the steering wheel is pivotable or tiltable from a usage position into a rest position, in which the driver of the vehicle can continue to predefine a steering demand by rotating the steering wheel. With regard to the prior art, reference is made to DE 697 08 735 T2, DE 102 59 684 B4 and DE 19 16 652 U, as well as DE 10 2006 006 995 B4.
The so-called autonomous or highly automated driving of non-track-bound motor vehicles is basically known, which vehicles will in future travel in electronically controlled fashion without input from the driver even in public traffic on roadways. From DE 10 2006 006 995 B4, it is furthermore known for the steering wheel of the driver, which in the case of autonomous driving, that is to say when the driver does not need to predefine a steering movement for the vehicle, is required only for any emergency interventions by the driver, to be adjustable from an initially relatively large geometrical form to a small geometrical form. Such a change in form is performed automatically in a manner dependent on the activation and deactivation of what is referred to in this document as an autopilot system.
The further cited documents present tiltable (DE 697 08 735 T2, DE 19 16 652 U) or pivotable (DE 102 59 684 B4) steering wheel arrangements which are intended to facilitate the embarking and disembarking of the driver into and out of the vehicle. Here, during the tilting movement, the steering wheel, which as it were describes a plane, is rotated about an axis which lies in or parallel to said plane. In the course of the pivoting movement, the steering wheel is rotated about an axis which lies substantially perpendicular to the steering wheel plane.
It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement of a motor vehicle steering wheel which is particularly advantageous for autonomous or highly automated driving.
This and other objects are achieved by an arrangement of a steering wheel in a motor vehicle suitable for autonomous driving, wherein the steering wheel is pivotable or tiltable from a usage position into a rest position, in which the driver of the vehicle can continue to predefine a steering demand by rotating the steering wheel, and wherein a pivoting or tilting of the steering wheel from the usage position into the rest position activates an autonomous vehicle operating mode in which the vehicle moves along the roadway without input from the driver, whereas a pivoting or tilting of the steering wheel from the rest position into the usage position deactivates the autonomous vehicle operating mode.
It is thus proposed firstly that, during or for the autonomous driving, the steering wheel be displaced into a rest position in such a way that the driver's view of the dashboard, which is normally situated behind and partially concealed by the steering wheel in the usage position thereof, and in particular of a display screen provided in said dashboard in the conventional manner, is obscured to a much lesser extent by the steering wheel. At the same time, the driver can actuate the steering wheel in such a rest position in a similar manner to that with which he or she is familiar from the usage position of the steering wheel. This is not ensured in the case of a steering wheel which deforms, as it were, as per the above-cited DE 10 2006 006 995 B4. In particular, however, it is proposed in the present case that the operating state of autonomous driving be activated and deactivated directly as a result of the tilting or pivoting of the steering wheel. Thus, if the vehicle is initially being controlled entirely by the driver and the steering wheel is in the usage position, it is then the case, if the driver tilts or pivots the steering wheel out of this position into its so-called rest position, that the operating mode of autonomous driving is activated. If the driver, at a somewhat later point in time, moves the steering wheel from the rest position into the usage position, then the operating mode of autonomous driving, which is controlled in the conventional manner by an electronic control unit, is deactivated owing to said steering wheel displacement. Here, the steering wheel arrangement may be equipped with a blocking device which permits a manual displacement of the steering wheel by the driver from the usage position into the rest position only if an autonomous driving mode is actually possible, which can be identified by the abovementioned electronic control unit, which can thereupon suitably actuate said blocking device. Furthermore, to facilitate embarking and disembarking, it may be provided that the blocking device permits the tilting or pivoting movement when the vehicle is parked, that is to say when it is not intended for the vehicle to be moved (any further).
A particular advantage of a steering wheel arrangement proposed thus far can be seen in the fact that the driver can activate and deactivate the operating mode of autonomous driving in an intuitively and extremely simple manner, and can at the same time displace the steering wheel into a less obstructive position, or into the respectively associated position, without multiple hand movements, or even a complex motor adjustment mechanism, being necessary for this purpose. It is furthermore also pointed out that, instead of a steering wheel arrangement of this type, there is also provided a method for activating and deactivating a highly automated (autonomous) operating or driving state of a vehicle with simultaneous displacement of the steering wheel between a usage position and a rest position, that is to say the claimed steering wheel arrangement could also utilized in the method.
A tilting or pivot axis about which the steering wheel is tiltable or pivotable may basically be positioned in a manner adapted to the respective spatial conditions in the vehicle interior compartment. It is preferable, owing to a relatively large gain n space in the rest position that is thereby achievable, if the steering wheel (or in particular the (otherwise conventional) steering-wheel rim) is attached pivotably or tiltably to that end of a or the spoke of the steering wheel which is averted from a hub of the steering wheel or from a fastening point of a spoke to the dashboard. In particular, if the steering wheel is arranged such that a first plane (see dotted line 23 in FIG. 1B) described by the usage position thereof is oriented at least approximately vertically (as is the case in conventional passenger motor vehicles) and a second plane (see dashed line 25 in FIG. 2B) described by the rest position of the steering wheel is oriented at least approximately horizontally, which planes can thus enclose an angle in the range from 70° to 110°, it is advantageous if the steering-wheel rim is attached pivotably or tiltably close to the or a spoke of said type of the steering wheel, which spoke, in a neutral position of the steering wheel (that is to say a steering wheel rotational angle position in which the vehicle travels straight ahead), runs at least inter alia downward in the vertical direction in a plane which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and in the vertical direction and which encompasses the steering wheel axis of rotation. The above-stated angle range is however in no way obligatory; rather, a first plane of the steering wheel in a usage position may also enclose angles in the range from 30° to 100° with a second plane formed by the rest position of the steering wheel, which values are however once again not to be understood as fixed limit values but are intended merely to mark out a certain scope.
Furthermore, the preferably single spoke by way of which the steering-wheel rim is mounted in some way, for example on the dashboard of the vehicle, may be either a static spoke, on whose end section averted from its fastening point on the dashboard the steering-wheel rim is rotatably mounted. Or, the spoke may be rotatable together with the steering-wheel rim, such that, as viewed in the direction of rotation of the steering wheel, the spoke is fixedly connected to the steering-wheel rim, but said steering-wheel rim may be pivotable or tiltable relative to the spoke. Furthermore, it may also be provided that the steering-wheel rim can be tilted or pivoted together with at least one spoke.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.